Monday, July 13, 2009

The sun was out and the mercury was rising, but the scene at Peabody Park on June 28 could not have been more picturesque.It was a scene of a community coming together to talk, laugh, and play.The Tennessee Equality Project's (“TEP”) Shelby County Committee fired up the grills for over sixty adults and children who gathered at Peabody Park for what organizer Michelle Bliss called “an old fashioned picnic.”Bliss stated that the picnic really had a two-fold purpose, the first being the obvious fundraiser portion of the picnic.More important though, was the opportunity to give LGBT families and friends a family-friendly event for pride.“Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in activism and causes that we forget what's important is the human connection. Ultimately, we are all looking for people who love us for who we are, and accept our quirks,” Bliss said.The picnic was just that, community members young, old, straight and queer, connecting with each other and forgetting the worries of society.Jonathan Cole, Shelby County Committee Chair for TEP, said that the picnic was a total success and he is already looking forward to next year’s picnic.Proceeds from the picnic go directly to the lobbying efforts of TEP to bring equality to the LGBT community in Tennessee.

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This blog explores the divisions both grand and not so grand that confront Tennessee politics today. Grand Divisions is produced by members of the Tennessee Equality Project, TEP PAC, and the TEP Foundation. Contributors address a variety of issues at the federal, state, and local level, particularly as they shape the fight for equality in Tennessee. The opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the views or positions of TEP.